"Redwood trees are a powerful, emotional symbol of coastal California," said the late Joe Engbeck, former vice president of the Claremont Canyon Conservancy and the person who organized the original effort.
In 2017, UC was awarded a $3.6 million CalFire grant for large tree removal on its Hill Campus, which includes parts of Claremont Canyon.
The Conservancy endorsed UC’s plan but filed a brief in 2021 requesting more specific language that would ensure wildfire mitigation through removal of large stands of eucalyptus.
[8] In working with the landowners and other entities in the East Bay Hills, the Conservancy spearheaded a movement in 2021 to create a region-wide approach to wildfire safety.
In addition to wildfire advocacy, the Conservancy provides hands-on volunteer work sessions to remove invasive plant species, such as French broom, and to build and maintain a modest system of trails.